


The Rise and Fall of Blue Eyes

by Teenage_Wildlife



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memory Loss, Pre-Slash, Slow Burn, puppyshipping - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:27:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23144662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teenage_Wildlife/pseuds/Teenage_Wildlife
Summary: Where the Mind Crush has a different effect on Kaiba.OrKaiba ends up in a bad part of town, with no memories of most of his life and Jounouchi is there to help him.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 9
Kudos: 23





	1. Mi Gran Noche

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if this is well written because I don't have a good level of English, so if you see an error, let me know! 
> 
> I was inspired by "the disappearance of Seto Kaiba" too bad they haven't updated in a while 8(…  
> But 
> 
> Enjoy!

  
It's past 5 p.m. and Jounouchi can only find himself staring at the ground with an empty mind.

The midday sun had been high on the horizon for a long time, the warm colors paint the streets and probably ina matter of minutes they will become the ones of the night and that's what Jounouchi expects, a breathing of warm air and walks again. It is not as if he was in a hurry or had somewhere to go, he was aware that in his own home he was not well received and neither did he want to deal with his father. He walked through the streets without direction, his gaze bent, enjoying life forgetting the sorrows that await him, takes the cigarette from his mouth and puts it away, the smoke comes out of his mouth fading quickly but he doesn't look up. As one is young, he expects to see his friends but knows they are probably too busy with their own problems to receive a grieving soul wandering the streets who has been wearing the same white shirt and pants for two days, a feeling of disgust appeared and he was willing to ignore that thought the first time he felt it.

He would usually be doing really interesting, quirky, wildlife stuff, like being in danger or saving someone along with his friends and the power of Duel Monsters, even with Kaiba and the frightful brother he had, Mokuba. 

But no, this time it was the tranquility that a wild teenager doesn't expect, perhaps the only thing he could do would be to finish the task that he certainly forgot to point out, _how boring_. 

Jounouchi considers a part-time job to kill time, it had become his annoying passion, getting little money from a mediocre job and, remembering this, he passed his hand through his pockets, feeling how many coins he had, they were small and few, he couldn'tt buy anything good, but something was something. Right?

Maybe was too much to get lost in thoughts because when he realized, the night had already fallen, big streetlights far away from each other light up the street, the lights of the cars and the sound the engines came and went in a back and forth. Jonouchi never looked away from the ground, but he did notice something.

A shadow, there was something on the side of a corner of an alley next to a few bags of trash, it was a kind of lump that trembled, at first he thought he was a vagabond, maybe he was a drunk who had run out of energy in the middle of the street, surrounding him was the best option because he knew well knew what these people could do, Jounouchi looked out of the corner of the corner at that person, The closer he got the more tension he was growing and the cold sweat on his forehead began to wash his face, not only is the person lying down and left like a doll, he was breathing with difficulty, Jounouchi expected that person to be asleep but his heavy breathing, the way his shoulders were going down and up, and as he was hugging himself, wrapping his legs with his arms, burying his face in his legs, made him worry even more. Jounouchi walked past that person fearing the worst, but the only thing that came out was a feeling of familiarity that hit him so hard that it made him stop, and finally he could look at that person eye to eye.

Well, bums don't wear spotless white pajamas, do they, let alone expensive jewelry, but the worst part. Hobos don't wear a Duel card-shaped necklace, do they?

Jounouchi held his breath, he was really doubtful, repeating over and over again that he must be hallucinating because he hadn't eaten enough but still an alarm inside his head warned him that something was wrong with that person. He bent down, put one hand on that person's shoulder, shaking, with his eyes fixed but afraid. When his hand finally reached the person's shoulder, he quickly raised his head and Jounouchi almost fell.

 _Fuck_.

Didn't Yugi tell him this morning that Kaiba was in the hospital? As he remembers, Yugi had applied the Mind Crush to Kaiba in Death T and he was in a coma for a month. Perhaps he had already woken up? Had he already removed the evil from his heart? Maybe, and only maybe Kaiba had woken up and ended up here, right?   
Kaiba looked at Jounouchi with those blue eyes full of anguish and confusion. And it didn't take him more than a second to push Jounouchi away. Jounouchi fell but Kaiba stood up. 

"What do you want?" Kaiba spoke with a countenance between fear and insecurity. Trying to speak as confidently as possible, but betrayed by the fear in his eyes.

"Hey, take it easy moneybags, that's no way to greet your friends, well, if we could call ourselves that, when did you wake up?" Jounouchi got up from the floor, shook the dust off his pants and put his hands in his pants pockets.   
Kaiba narrowed his eyes in confusion, his hands clenched.

"What are you talking about?" he took a long breath. "Who are you?" Kaiba's long body straightened even more, the white pajamas, the dim street lights and that strange, sickly skin color made him look strange, out of place in an environment as dangerous to someone as Kaiba. 

Jounouchi laughed incredulously, it was a simple, loud laugh. "Oh, you're not serious about this, are you?"

Kaiba's expression was not the usual one, instead, it was just a distressed face without his characteristically tone cold and full of confidence and arrogance, his eyebrows gathered and trembled as his lips breathed heavily, the fear in Kaiba was everything in this moment.

"You know, Jonouchi, Joey Wheeler, the amateur, uhmm..." Would he really humiliate himself for Kaiba? "...The monkey, the dog! You know all those names you gave me, pal!" Yeah, he did.

Now, however, Kaiba's face was only the framed expression of a lost child, looking around as if the answer to Jounouchi's questions were hidden somewhere in the dark night. The sounds of car engines were more distant, and the only thing that saved him were the headlights of the streetlights, Kaiba could only close his eyes tightly, as if that would help him find the memories that had vanished in his troubled thoughts.

A pain in Jounouchi's chest was beginning to grow. "Come on, we know each other!" Jounouchi began to exaggerate with his hands. "Um, You know, Yugi, the King of Games? Your biggest rival?"

 _That event at Death T was when Kaiba lost, it was so special. He can't forget it_.

"You don't have to fake this act just because you don't like me, Pal, this isn't funny." Jounouchi's voice wasn't funny anymore. 

Kaiba's hands tightened more and more, he only under his eyes, his voice was so monotonous, emotionless "I have no idea who or what you're talking about"

_Fuck._

The silky, shiny kaiba hair was a mess, and it only got worse the moment her long eyelashes collided and her blue eyes began to shed tears. The pain and confusion in Kaiba was so strong that it struck Jonouchi directly in the chest. Even more so when Kaiba began walking quickly in another direction.

"Kaiba wait! Wher–" 

"Why are you calling me that?"

"What? I–"

"My name is not Kaiba, so leave me alone"

 _Who is this guy?,_ Now Jonouchi is so confused, it was all a puzzle with the stained pieces that neither he nor Kaiba could solve.

He is engrossed in trying to solve the situation he had gotten himself into, which he could only react to until the unbalanced, repetitive steps of kaiba began to resonate further and further away. 

  
_This was definitely not his big night._


	2. La chica de humo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Y yo qué sé dónde va, dónde vive, y todo está mal y siempre es igual.  
> Y yo qué sé, que no soy detective, la paso fatal  
> Mi chica de humo" 
> 
> Jounouchi gives everything of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh I'm sorry! a month has passed and I could not update, this chapter is really long.  
> To write these chapters there's a bit of a long process.  
> Hope you like it! 
> 
> And as always, any mistakes, please let me know!

Jounouchi didn't react until Kaiba's destabilized, repetitive steps began to echo further and further away. 

Everything takes a huge turn that makes him feel sick. And then he realizes that it was going to be the biggest mistake of his life to let go, his heart feels the great weight of time and he is afraid, he admits that he hates the egomaniacal fool Kaiba with ferbor but something in his unusual steps and the fearful, broken form his voice had taken prompted him to be brave.

Kaiba never turns back, his hands remain clenched fists and his breathing is uneven, he walks in a shuffling manner, unsteady but hurried, quickly grabbing his head and sinking into headaches. Kaiba's pyjamas are misaligned, dirty all over that it is almost wrong to say that they are white, he wears brown slippers that are ugly by themselves and yet he is able to maintain the same elegance that only he could have. Kaiba, with his foolish walk, hasn't advanced far enough, probably only about one ir two meters, but Jounouchi feels the urge to follow him as if he could vanish. 

The warm air is strong, and the night is so dark that you can only see what the lanterns light, they are positioned in a strange area where he doesn't know what can happen, Jounouchi fears and waits for Kaiba to do so, Jounouchi begs everything that has ever believed that Kaiba believes in his words

"Wait! I didn't get the wrong person!" The pressure is on him but Kaiba doesn't listen when he speaks, everything in him told him that he is determined not to stop, and even less so with a stranger who blabbered strange things to him and who of course is willing to evaporate every opportunity. Right now he had to push his luck. And he feels the urge to be dynamic and fast.

But he feels so frustrated that everything that comes out of his mouth is whispered insults, he refuses to give up and talks.

"I know where you live!" _Idiot._ He's mentally beaten up, _he sounds like a fucking stalker._ "I mean...!" _Think._ "I can take you!"

Jounouchi bites his nails with worry, his mind is hit by thousands of possibilities, so many thoughts that he's overwhelmed. Incomplete words leave Jounouchi's mouth that he finds himself unable to find a way to convince Kaiba and feels so angry with himself. 

This was never like pulling a trap card. It doesn't work the next turn, there's no second chance.

But he doesn't give up, leaves the formalities aside, and is only the full concern of someone who doesn't hate. 

"Seto!" He screams so loudly that he hurt his throat, coughs, and realizes that by questioning his stunned pace Kaiba stopped slowly, doesn't look back, just looks down, and the only word Jounouchi said is echoing through his aching head. He is already behind Kaiba, his instincts telling him it wasn't a good idea to touch him, nervously he sets out to be more careful than ever before

He takes a shaky breath and regains the sense of the word.

"I know it is hard to believe me when you don't even know who I am and I'm talking nonsense, but believe me that I can help you." Jounouchi feels the eternity in the silence as if it will never end. He cannot see his face but the way his hands are still wrapped on fists let him know that Kaiba doesn't seem encouraged or convinced, unfortunately for Jounouchi's luck, Kaiba wants to keep walking.

He is not determined to give up his opportunities, however, his mouth speaks before his mind thinks.

"I...know where Mokuba is." He is about to mention something else when Kaiba turns around so quickly that Jounouchi opens his eyes in surprise, his momentary instinct was consious and he understands that if he can answer to his name there was a slight chance that he would remember Mokuba, because if not then he was a hopeless case.

Jounouchi is still nervous, so much so that he ends up lost in the blue.

Kaiba's blue eyes are sad that the air is sweet when they become hopeful and jovial at the mention of Mokuba's name. 

"Where is he?" Ask before Jounouchi thinks of an answer and it results in his distraction.

He doesn't think of Kaiba, not what he asks, only what he observes, his face that is so close to Jounouchi that the smell of medicine strongly pervades (and yet with all that) the slight smell of expensive perfume remains, his face is dirty, traces of tears that have not yet dried are present and the sweat that sticks little hairs to his forehead glows from the long lanterns, everything about him is a walking disaster. And the fear in Kaiba is so potent and constant that it is one more distraction, as if someone were screaming and waving their hands frantically for help.

Jounouchi knows that he isn't alone in being lost, he sees the blue eyes that wander back and forth seeing him again and again.

"How come you know my name?" Kaiba is really aggressive. "How come you know about Mokuba?" And he's trying to be the shadow of the fortress that could once have evoked.

Jounouchi has never been the person you feel safe in but he really tries.

"I don't understand what's really going on in your head, I don't know how you're here but I know you must have as many questions as I do now." _Oh, great, his fingers are shaking too much._ "But, we've known each other for a long time, I know Mokuba, he trusts me and I trust him, he trusts me to help you" And he puts his hand on Kaiba's shoulder, he knew at this point that Kaiba would allow it, was good.

It took time, torturous time.

"I... How do I know I can trust you?" Kaiba tried to sound critical in an environment where he was the least likely.

Jounouchi feels he can breathe again, he didn't believe much in his luck but now he was gaining Kaiba's trust, something I really doubt I had before. 

"Well, I think you don't have much choice, it is either trust me or stay here, wandering these dreary streets." He lifts his hand from Kaiba's shoulder, who looks away skeptically, considering all possibilities only to nod grudgingly. 

Jounouchi closes his eyes with a victorious expression, can breathe without feeling the worry and stops clutching his hands in mania and incredulously laughs and gives him the most sincere smile he can, twitching in the destabilized pride of Kaiba.

"Uhmm... we must take a taxi" he looked up thoughtfully and turned to the other and continued.

"Dude, you're so far from where you're supposed to be, how did you get here? Did you take a ride or something?"

"I just walked but I had to stop because I started feeling tired." Kaiba was serious, annoying.

Jounouchi almost choked on that, _damn it_ , the hospital's over a kilometer away. How did he get here without any knowledge?

And maybe he's lying, like a big arrow pointing to the truth even without all the information he can put together the little pieces provided. He knew that Kaiba was stopped not only by exhaustion, but by the dread of being immersed in a sea of unanswered questions with people as alien as his memories, and that he could only resort to the unbalanced instinct of his feet alone in trying to get him to Mokuba and possibly the same reason he wasn't in the hospital in the first place. 

He decides to be discreet and focus on the now, puts his hands in his pockets thinking about the streets where Kaiba's mansion was, scratches in his pockets just to remember that if he barely had money to buy something, now he had to pay for a taxi to go to a place that is probably more than a mile away. They would be able to go down the street earlier and walk a bit, even though, Would It be enough for most of the way? Would Kaiba mind walking a few (or maybe many) meters? 

_Hell_ , he should have asked Yugi for that $15.

Wait. 

_Yugi._

Yugi's house was in just the right range of what he could afford with all those little coins gathered in his pocket. 

"Hey, Kai- uh, Seto, I think we should make a stop with a friend." Jounouchi approaches Kaiba. "I think it will help us with your messed up mind." 

He steps away from Kaiba briefly and walks along the sidewalk, peeking out on both sides looking for a taxi, the infrequent passing of cars was usual when everything is turned off but there was always the hope that one would turn up.

Kaiba only glanced uncertainly but remained close to Jounouchi anyway. Slowly he began to even the pace with him and they fell into a silence that was too much trouble for both of them, Jounouchi did not dare say anything for fear of saying something wrong and Kaiba well, he really did not want to talk about it but it was his biggest problem.

And he decides to break his silence.

"So, can you tell me your name again?" He asks with a false curiosity, he knows that even though he decided to follow him it didn't mean he was trusting him completely. 

"Jounouchi" Jounouchi's gaze never turns to Kaiba, he admits he's more concerned with finding a taxi and getting out of there as quickly as possible.

"It's okay Jounouchi, where do we know each other from?" 

"Uhm, we attend the same school, Domino High School"

"And... what relationship do we have?"

"Oh, we're best friends!" 

Jounouchi bit his tongue internally trying not to sound sarcastic, it may have worked it seemed that Kaiba did not notice the satire in his voice, he reflected for a few seconds understanding that it must have been to his benefit to use Kaiba's apparent memory loss.

"Best Friends" Complete. _Yes_ , now Kaiba and Jounouchi were best friends for years, ah, along with Yugi, Honda, and Anzu.

"So all those names you mentioned to refer to yourself are some kind of friendly nicknames?"

Jounouchi really wanted to hit himself now, why did he have to mention those stupid nicknames? 

"Uh, something like that, it's a joke between us, although it's better to omit them"

Time passed quite easily after that, they didn't talk again and decided it was best for the moment. The white lights of the high street lamps were shining more brightly, the moon had already reached its maximum position to be able to shine, it took more than 10 minutes for a taxi to pass through the streets. After some negotiation, Jounouchi opened the car door to allow Kaiba to enter the rear seats, and at that very moment, shame attacked his cheeks. He could never imagine being so polite to anyone, least of all Kaiba. 

No one spoke during the ride, not even the driver recognized Kaiba, probably the most recognizable thing about him was not his blue eyes, maybe it was those ugly and expensive coats he liked to wear or he just didn't recognize him because well, seeing Seto Kaiba get into a taxi in this part of town must not have been common. Kaiba could only focus on what lay beyond the windowpane, the lights of the city that were becoming more and more active despite the moon, everything stop at a small game shop.

Jounouchi is polite to Kaiba again, opening the door and allowing him to come down. And as if his ears would hear something vulgar, he felt embarrassed.

"Thank you" was the only thing that came out of Kaiba's mouth and Jounouchi felt the anxiety. 

The place Is pleasant, colored lights adorned the tent but the white light from a main focus always remained. In the tent is Yugi's grandfather, he seem to recognize Jounouchi at once, he approach the entrance cheerfully and say hello, but he omitt Kaiba, still he doesn't seem to be angry, he Is understanding and wait next to Jounouchi.

Jounouchi is grateful for this but isn't sure how Yugi's grandfather would react if he realized Kaiba was there. He hurried to tell him he want to talk to Yugi, he is kind enough to invite them in, Jounouchi turned to Kaiba and trusted.

He decides to be the first one to enter followed by Kaiba.

"Good night, thank you" is all that came out of Kaiba's mouth but Jounouchi could never get used to that kindness.

Surprisingly, he is greeted back and still doesn't recognize Kaiba, Jounouchi begin to strongly believe that Kaiba without a coat and without being an egomaniac is unrecognizable if you don't know him well enough. Yugi doesn't appear quickly enough to be aware, for Kaiba is distracted by all the things in the place, admiring them and passing around them all, taking them in and looking at them in detail before putting them back. 

Yugi appears after five minutes, with his soft, cheerful tone greeting Jounouchi.

"I didn't expect to see you at this hour, Jou, I thought you were busy. What's wrong?" Yugi is so jubilant with Jounouchi, smiling and genuinely concerned but all that doesn't stop Jounouchi from wondering how to explain that Kaiba was weirder than usual. He doesn't know how Yugi doesn't notice Kaiba, he doesn't know how to say it. And he feels the mania in his stomach again.

This was complicated from the moment he became involved and now he was responsible.

"Well, the problem is him." Jounouchi fidgets trying to be discreet when he points at Kaiba, Yugi turns his gaze in that direction. And as if it were an unchained reaction, he is greatly surprised, petrified that he cannot even say anything.

Yugi finds his gaze amidst the dismal white clothes, brown hair that was arranged but unbrushed, and that unmistakable alabaster skin. 

"I found him in the back streets, he seemed to have been walking around for hours, he was really dazed I think he was having a panic attack" Jounouchi explains uncomfortably, Yugi looks incredulously and impressed as if what he saw was a myth, a ghost.

"How? I saw him this morning. It's not possible!"

"He, well, he doesn't seem to remember anything, neither us nor his own name, he's just Seto now, no more Kaiba, he can only seem to remember Mokuba" Jounouchi scratches the back of his head before continuing. "I think you can help him"

"Me?" Yugi is incredulous.

"Yes!" Jounouchi is recriminating. "After all, it's you who put him in that state."

"But how would I help him?"

"I don't know! Ask the other you." 

"That's not how it works!" 

"Come on, Yugi! You gotta do something! This new Kaiba is really scary! He thanked me! Yugi, he said thank you more than once! I'm not gonna be upset by a living crossword puzzle!"

Yugi was still so surprised by these new words from Jounouchi, flitting his eyes between him and Kaiba, as if trying to check something.

Kaiba can feel Yugi's gaze on him, turns to look at him and approaches him face to face. Yugi still does not move, he seemed to be in some sort of trance, Kaiba, scowling, just waiting for Yugi to say something, Jounouchi looked at them both, waiting for some sort of reaction, but when he realized that it wasn't going to happen he decided to speak.

"Hey, Seto, this is Yugi, our friend" made a big emphasis on the word ' _ours_ '.

Yugi finally comes out of that weird trance. "Uh, yes! I'm Yugi!" Kaiba appreciated Yugi for a moment, he found it amusing apparently. He smiles and says.

"Hello" He offers his hand to Yugi, and he looks surprised but doesn't refuse. He shakes hands with Seto and smiles more than Jounouchi ever saw. 

Kaiba tries to be nice and is really convincing, he talks about how he finds the place curious, and everything in it, highlights his taste for Duel Monsters, Yugi feels Kaiba's feverish honesty, and welcomes it, Jounouchi instead, feels chills.

Yugi thinks it best to understand what is going on while they are entertaining themselves with the shop and offers Kaiba to show him around, and Jounouchi is left to follow.

Kaiba is really interested, listens to what Yugi says and responds, even inviting Jounouchi to join in the conversation. A feedback that Jounouchi still couldn't believe he was participating in. 

Kaiba talk about of his Duel Monsters cards, thinking they're not the best, but melancholically hopeful he turns to Yugi and Jounouchi and asks.

"I was able to get the White Dragon from Blue Eyes?"

Yugi and Jounouchi feel a weight on their stomachs.

"Yes"

And it was enough to make Kaiba smile.

"How many dragons do I have?"

"Three" Jounouchi hurries over, crossing his fingers so hard it hurts just so Kaiba doesn't ask about the fourth dragon.

He doesn't.

And everything stays the same.

They keep looking at the shop as if nothing will happen.

Until, Yugi's heart decides that he cannot bear it any longer and at the risk of asking, he is afraid to face Kaiba directly, not sure if this is just like smoke. 

But he is determined.

"Seto, in the morning, I went to see you at the hospital. Can you remember?"

Kaiba puts aside what he's observing and looks at a weak spot.

"I... really don't remember, sorry"

"You don't have to apologize" Yugi offers his compassion.

"No, I really can't remember you or Jounouchi or anyone else, it's all a homogeneous void in my memory that what I can remember could have simply happened years ago" Kaiba is strong in his word, and Jounouchi does not avoid feeling bad. "But right now I'm not interested in the past that I can remember."

He puts all that sympathy aside and looks at them firmly.

They prepare themselves mentally for Kaiba's requests.

"I need to know what happened so I can end up in the hospital."

It is just what is needed for Yugi's pompous and spirited air to change so much, a solemn and characterful look to rule him.

Yami is hard on his eyes at Kaiba.

"I understand you're looking for answers"

Pause. 

Kaiba's just waiting for Yami to finish what she's saying. 

"That was because of a confrontation we had, but it wasn't the duel itself, it was actions you have to resolve on your own, there's no way for us to help and it's the best advice you can get"

Kaiba's normalcy is interrupted again and he just gives an angry look. 

"All we can do is guide you until we put all the pieces together."

Kaiba doesn't seem happy with this response, his scowl is furrowed but he does not complain.

"Where is Mokuba?" He repeats, and this time he isn't afraid. 

Yami doesn't answer, instead she goes to the counter, pulls out a phone and calls.

It's only five minutes.

But...

One.

Jounouchi plays with his hands and doesn't look.

Two.

He turns to Kaiba.

Three. 

And looks at him intently.

When he is ready to tell Kaiba that he is willing to help him solve the puzzle of his heart despite what Yami has said, the doors are slammed, a small dark head steps in and runs.

"Brother!"

Jounouchi is modest in admitting that he feels happy.

The figure of Kaiba falls to his knees to embrace Mokuba, clings to him and is quite sure that his heart is beating as if it were going to leave.

"I've been looking for you!" Mokuba scolds Kaiba as he cries.

"I'm sorry" Seto is so gentle with Mokuba.

Mokuba lifts his head off Kaiba's shoulder, looks up at Yugi and thanks him. 

Jounouchi doesn't bother.

But Kaiba gets up, looks at him.

And time stands still for Jounouchi.

He's hugging him. 

"Thank you."

Jounouchi boasts that his heart is fluttering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! I have a little doubt about some things.
> 
> Here the International System of Units is used, so meters, centimeters and kilometers are used, I don't know the measurements of feet, miles, inches, etc. So i leave the meters and kilometers, Is it okay that way? or is it better to change it?
> 
> You can follow me on my Tumblr wea-telefonica-1

**Author's Note:**

> The title is based on the song "Mi Gran Noche" by Raphael. 
> 
> I really don't know how many chapters this will have ... 
> 
> You can follow me in my Tumblr: wea-telefonica-1 
> 
> I hope you liked it!


End file.
